Can God’s Spirit Disappear?

I have been working a great deal and have not attended church or fellowshipped with the members in quite some time. I have adopted new friends who are good people; they are not Christians but good people nonetheless. Lately I have felt that I have no “life” in me and I feel its because I have not attended church. I’ve tried praying and I am so distracted that I don’t feel my prayers are going anywhere. Is it possible to be gone so long that the Spirit of God which once lived within me could disappear?

V. From Buffalo, New York

The AnswerPart 1: The wooing of the Holy Spirit

Wooing of the Holy Spirit

Why do you think you feel the lack of “life”? Why do you think you realize its because you haven’t attended church? Why have you tried to pray? It is because the Holy Spirit is at work within you to pull you back into sweet fellowship with God. If he were gone you would not feel any prick of conscious at all; your spiritual ears would be so closed you wouldn’t even realize you were deaf. NO, the Spirit of God did not disappear!

The Holy Spirit is the best friend you’ll ever have. Listen to how Jesus prayed: “’And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you.’” (John 14:16)

I’m sure your work schedule and your lack of attendance at church and your new friends have all played a part in cooling your relationship with the Lord. Yes, but while that may be true you will only be wasting your time to dwell there. We all get ourselves into foolish places but the pertinent question is: how do we get ourselves out of them?

You’ve actually already taken the first step by recognizing your condition. I would say the next step is to repent. Tell God in your own words exactly where things are. It might be as simple as “Lord, I’ve made a mess of things and don’t know how to get back the “life” I’m missing. I’m so sorry I have neglected you. Please forgive me.”

Then ask him what he wants you to do. Let HIM prompt you for the next steps back. I could say that you need to get back in church fast and rearrange your work schedule and drop your non-Christian friends but the truth is that if your heart is not changed none of that will do any good. However when your heart is reawakened to God’s passionate love for you, your actions will follow naturally.

There is a secular song that says, “love is lovelier the second time around…” and maybe that’s because it is more appreciated. I hope you are about to find that out.